Having Hermione's Heart - Harmione
by Enigmatix
Summary: Deathly Hallows - After an angered Ron has stalked off, Harry is left with a heartbroken Hermione. He then forces her to dance and just when she believed her heart might belong to Ron, Harry kisses her and everything changes.


AZURIA FROM THE EAST KINDLY PRESENTS TO YOU THIS FANTASTIC STORY ABOUT A LOVE SO DEEP BETWEEN TWO BEST FRIENDS, THAT THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN BLINDED BY DOUBT.

PLEASE ENJOY MY STORY ABOUT HARRY AND HERMIONE AND FEEL FREE TO COMMENT, TELLING ME WHATEVER YOU FEEL AFTER YOU HAVE READ THROUGH THIS. I ALWAYS TAKE CRITICISMS AS WELL AS PRAISE AND MIND YOU, SPITEFUL CRITICISMS DON'T MOVE ME AT ALL! I WILL ALWAYS KEEP ON WRITING BECAUSE I KNOW PEOPLE ENJOY MY WORK.

3 ~HPHG~HPHG~HPHG~HPHG~HPHG~HPHG~HPHG~HPHG~HPHG~HPHG~ 3

She was sitting all alone with her head bent and there were shadows under her deep brown eyes. Harry sat looking intently at her and he lightly drummed his fingers on the table beside him, wondering what he could do to cheer her up. He just didn't want her to be so sad and depressed and it pained him to see her in such a state. It wasn't the Hermione he knew and was accustomed to. She was the one who usually could hold it together when things got unstable. Never had he ever seen her wither down to such a lost and dreary person, who even sulked when she was reading a book.

The radio was on and a soft song was playing that sounded awfully familiar to him, however, he couldn't place a name to it. For the last twenty minutes or so, the radio was on, and it was the only sound in the tent. He peered over and tried to make out what book she was reading. It was 'The tales of Beedle the Bard'. Deciding that it wouldn't be best to ask her anything about horocruxes, he pondered a little while longer on what to do. He just had to do something and felt obligated to such an action.

Harry got up and walked slowly towards Hermione.

She was so lost in her own world of sulking after Ron's departure from them, that she didn't even notice him approach her. Her eyes were cast towards the wall of the tent now, unfocused and moist. Hermione was thinking about Ron indeed. She was trying to compose herself and to not allow her mind to wander off to him but it did on its own accord, sending a painful stab to her heart. The blows brought on by confusion from not knowing how she truly felt about Ron placed too much pressure on her emotional state and she couldn't control her feelings.

Just when she was about to begin searching herself once more for the true meaning of her feelings for Ron, she felt Harry's hands on hers. Her head didn't jerk up. She slowly looked down at her hands enveloped by his and remembered that she was reading 'Babbity Rabbity and the Cackling Stump', a tale from the book. She couldn't even remember which line she was at. Harry's face was a little way above her head and she could feel his warm breath through her hair, travelling to her cold scalp. It sent a slight wave of warmth through her head, down her neck and along her spine. Her hands almost trembled lightly but it didn't since Harry was holding them.

'Hermione', he said and the bit of air coming out of his mouth as he whispered her name warmed her forehead.

She didn't answer. It wasn't because she didn't want to reply but it was just that her throat was dry and parched from crying silently all day long. Harry slowly slid the book out from beneath her hands and marked the page she was at by folding the top tip of it. He then rested it upon a table near her and looked back. Hermione was still looking at her shoes, her hands resting almost lifeless on her lap. Harry felt a dull pain within him as he watched her.

He again took up her hands, and pulled her up slowly then took up the horocrux from around her neck and unclipped it. Placing it on a chair, he led her away from the corner and towards the centre of the tent.

Hermione allowed herself to be pulled up and when Harry stepped back, his hands still holding unto hers, she suddenly realised what he wanted to do. He wanted her to dance with him. Pulling on one hand then the next to the beat of the song, he forced her to sway from side to side. At first she couldn't seem to relax nor even look at him but then he started to bend low at each pull of her arm, swaying childishly to the song. Looking at him, she allowed a small smile to play on her lips then when Harry began to grin even wider as he swayed, she giggled lightly.

Hermione could instantly feel the tension in her head as well as her face slowly lifting away. She realised that she probably hadn't smiled since yesterday before Ron had left them. Just thinking of Ron made the throbbing beneath her temples step up a few beats. But Harry still held unto her hands and manoeuvred them into going around in a circle then back again. They danced and swayed and Hermione began to smile as broad as Harry did. He twirled her around, then when the song was at dying away, he pulled her towards him and wrapped his hands around her waist.

She found her hands reaching up to his shoulders and could feel the warmth of his skin beneath his wool sweater.

'I miss him Harry', she said softly, as they swayed still.

He pressed his cheek to hers and said, 'me too.'

She found that by him being so close to her, it made her feel a bit different. It was a feeling unlike any she had ever felt when he was around her and being the analytical person she was, Hermione tried to attach some meaning to it. However, she couldn't understand what it was and yet, deep down she believed she knew what it was. She just couldn't reach that deep down to retrieve such a meaning at the moment because too many feelings were brewing in her head that clouded her mind.

'Why did he just leave Harry? Why couldn't he just stay and understand that what we need is time?'

'Because he was in doubt, Hermione', Harry said still holding her close, 'he lost trust in me I guess.'

'But I'd never...'

'I know you would never. Sometimes you seem to understand me a lot more than he does', Harry said.

And it was true. At times when something was bothering him, the first person he went to was her. Yes he'd go to Ron as well, but he always looked to her for comfort or reassurance. You just couldn't get that from Ron because boys didn't show affection towards each other as much as girls did. Hermione was always the one to make him feel better, worth it and even at times, assure him assertively that what he was about to do was wrong. Ron just went along like a mate would.

'Same with you Harry', she said and could feel tears burning behind her eyelids, 'at least you know entirely how I feel and you're not blind. You know when someone loves and you...'

Harry felt her heave with a sob and then she stopped swaying. She pressed her face unto his shoulder and her tears moistened his sweater. He knew she was crying and all that he wanted to do was make her happy again but he was unsure of what to do. Hermione held unto him and sobbed, her hands slipping from his shoulder and falling to her sides. He instantly held her firmly against him and nuzzled his face into her hair that smelt like a mixture of the scent of leaves and spring water.

'I know how you feel Hermione and he is such a git to walk out on us much less you', he said softly.

'I d-don't know _how_ and _what_ I-I feel', she said between sobs, 'I don't even know _if_ I love-love him'.

There was a short pause in which he could hear himself breathing as well as feel Hermione's heartbeat against his chest. The lamp glowered in the corner of the tent, casting a soft glow around them and giving everything a shadow of its own.

And he felt alone.

Harry wouldn't admit it to either of them but he felt entirely alone when he thought about the two of them having feelings for each other. It was a feeling of being left out and actually realising that there could be a possibility of two of them being more than best friends at some point in time.

'I-', he wanted to say that he loved her but he just wasn't sure how it would sound at such a time as this so he said instead, 'he loves you.'

'No he doesn't', Hermione said and she stepped back then wiped her nose with the back of one hand, 'he doesn't like me. He never actually did. Since we first met he always had a problem with me and then there was Lavender and...I should probably hate him for all the times he hurt me.'

'But you don't', Harry said softly as he reached up and wiped her wet cheek, 'you wouldn't ever give up on him and that's something.'

'I don't know. I can be brilliant when it comes to books, I thoroughly excel at schoolwork but with love, I can't _ever_ seem to work it out right. I'm always confused at how and what I feel.'

'Alright', Harry said, 'tell me, how _do _you feel about him?'

For awhile Hermione just gazed at him, her brown eyes unfocused then she sighed and bit her lips.

'What is it?' Harry asked concerned.

'I probably have been blind all this time', she said looking away from him and towards the opening of the tent.

A soft wind came through the mouth of the tent and it stirred up a few strands of her brown hair.

'What do you mean, Hermione?'

'How come you never asked me how I feel about _you_?' she said turning to look at him with tears in her eyes.

'Because I know how you feel about me', Harry said quite taken aback by the question, 'I know the difference between your feelings for _me_ as compared to how you feel for _Ron_.'

'And how do I feel about you?' she asked and for a moment, Hermione wasn't sure where the questions were coming from.

She couldn't believe she was asking Harry about how he felt about her when she was so distraught with Ron's departure from them. At the same time, something else came into Hermione's mind and she suddenly realised that...

'I'm your best friend', Harry said and she lost focus of what she was thinking.

'That's exactly what _he'd_ say', she said and turned to walk back to her chair but Harry grabbed her hand.

'Wait', he said and she turned to face him, 'what about you?'

Hermione looked at him puzzled. 'What about me?'

'Aren't you going to ask me how I feel about you?' Harry asked keeping his eyes on her and she instantly felt the 'feeling' come over her again.

'How do you feel about me then?' she asked softly, her hand still in his.

'You're not only a _best friend_ to me Hermione. You are _more_ than even a sister; the girl who understands me more than any other girl, the one who easily comforts me when I am down and the one whose brilliance I can't live without. No other girl has ever been _this_ special to me, ever', he said looking at her.

'But Ginny...' she said, and a tear rolled down her cheek then another followed.

'Ginny can never compare to you', he said and pulled her towards him.

'Harry I don't...' but the rest of the sentence never escaped her lips.

Harry wrapped his hands around her waist once more and pulled her even closer. Just when she had begun to talk, his lips met hers and he parted them, kissing her deep. Hermione was at a loss for words when she felt his lips on hers and she suddenly couldn't catch her breath.

'You don't _what_?' Harry whispered, moving his lips away from hers and when she didn't answer, he kissed her again.

She wasn't prepared for his kiss again and was completely thrown off balance by his lips on hers that her knees went weak. Harry was kissing her so deep now that his tongue had found hers and his hands were in her hair, pressing her to him. Just when she had decided to kiss him back because she was losing control from suddenly falling into such deep passion, he pulled away slightly.

'Do you know how it makes me feel when you tell me you love _him_ and not _me_?' he asked softly and his voice was strained.

'Harry I...' but she couldn't finish because he was kissing her again and this time, she kissed him back too.

Hermione was beginning to finally understand what the 'feeling' she had been experiencing meant.

'When you look at _him_ and there is hurt in your eyes', he said after he pulled away again, 'the way you try so _hard_ to make him see that you love him...do you know how it makes me feel? Hermione I feel _so_ bad that it's not _me_ in his place and it's not _me_ that you love a little more.'

'Harry I never knew', she said and tried to kiss him again because she was longing for his touch but he leaned back and looked at her, his eyes moist with tears.

'Yea, you never knew because you always assumed I never loved you more than a best friend', he said shaking his head, 'has it ever crossed your mind that I am not just your _best friend_ but also a _guy_?'

And the way he said it made her realise that never had it crossed her mind that Harry could have feelings for her more than just a best friend. She had always believed him to like Cho or Ginny that she never considered herself an option.

'I never considered myself an option', she said and watched as he turned his head away, obviously convinced that he had been right, 'no! I always thought it was Cho or Ginny...not me. I'm not...'

'...worth it?' he continued after her and all she could do was stare back at him, 'or is it because I'm '_The Chosen One'_ that you like many girls feel that by being with me, being more than just a friend to me, you'll be in danger?'

'But I am more than just a friend!' she said crying, 'I'm your _best friend_, Harry. And I don't think that of you at all! I don't feel threatened by being your best friend...'

'What about my girlfriend?' he asked abruptly and she stopped to look at him speechless. 'Why do I get to be your best friend alone and Ron gets to be more than that?' he asked in a saddened voice and Hermione blinked, obviously unsure of what to say.

'I was never considered because I was never worth it? Is that it?' he asked and his hands moved from her waist to his sides.

'Harry that's not true, it's not that!'

'So if I had stalked off on my own leaving the two of you behind, would you be this distraught by me not being here?'

'Of course I would, I mean I...Harry please don't do this', Hermione begged and her cheeks were entirely wet now, 'I love you Harry! I love you but I've always been confused at how I feel about either of you; you or Ron! I', she raised her hands to her face and covered her eyes. 'Harry you were the first one I loved when we first met. I couldn't...I couldn't stand Ron but I deeply loved-I loved you!' she said sobbing, 'Ron always pissed me off with his rudeness towards me and I hated him. We never could seem to get right with each other, then...then Cho and you...'

'What about Cho and I?' Harry asked, and he felt more tears forming in his eyes.

'You started to fancy Cho and I decided that you never really would ever love _me_ the way I wanted to love you!' Hermione cried and moved her hands away and looked at him. 'Then after Cho it was Ginny. I saw the way you looked at her. She always was coming unto you, always fancied you and didn't find it hard to show you how she felt about you. I was just left to doubt myself on any feelings I had for you because like I said I believed I couldn't ever figure out love. And then the only boy who I found myself falling for was R-Ron!' and she stooped down, covering her face again with her hands.

Harry watched her stooping there and heard her begin to cry uncontrollably. He couldn't believe what he had just heard Hermione told him and he was so shocked with her honesty and what she had said that he was speechless. It all made sense to him now as to why she never fancied him or showed him more affection but it was the same on his side as well.

He reached down and slid his hands into hers, removing them from her wet face and pulled her up. She was still crying and her eyes were closed. It pained him so much to hear and see her cry that he begun to do so as well.

'I always thought it was all about Ron', he whispered and Hermione looked at him and shook her head.

'It was always about you. Always was and now I know it still is', she said and stepped close to him, her body pressing against his.

He ran his fingers through her soft curly hair and when her lips met his, she was the one who kissed him passionately and deeply first. She tilted her head to one side and hungrily kissed him as he tried to meet her pace. All these feelings that had been inside of her came pouring out through her kiss that she felt herself becoming lost in a world of which she had no knowledge about. It had always been him that she had loved and yet she always thought it was Ron.

They walked back slowly, still kissing, to the soft chair against the tent wall and Harry sat down. Hermione sat in his lap then wrapped both of her legs around his waist, her lips still on his, and pushed him back softly. He fell back unto the chair and she removed his spectacles then lay on top of him gazing into his green eyes.

'Harry', she whispered as she ran her fingers through his hair, 'I love you'.

'I have always loved you too Hermione', he softly said, and he reached up and they begun to kiss again as a wolf howled in the distance and the rain came down, drumming lightly then heavily on the roof of the tent.


End file.
